Members of St. Alphonsus Parish in Mount Pleasant watch contractors mount the recently restored parish bell on May 30.
By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger
A 5,000-pound brass bell that first sounded for Catholics in Mount Pleasant more than 140 years ago is ringing once again, thanks to a community restoration effort. After years in storage, the once-tarnished bell now gleams on a brick-and-cement mount where the steps of the original church once stood.
St. Alphonsus Parish purchased the bell for $749 in 1882 after a windstorm damaged the steeple. The mid-century structure did not have a bell at the time. “The parish raised enough money to repair the storm damage, which included purchasing the bell,” said Mary Ann Messer, parish historian. The 6-foot-tall bell rang so powerfully that it shook the steeple, according to parish records. To mitigate structural damage to the tower walls, the parish eventually locked the bell in place and installed a manual clapper. The manufacturer, McShane Bell Company, recently told parishioners that the bell was among the biggest they ever produced. “It’s 50 inches wide at the bottom,” said parishioner Gary Crawford. “The biggest they ever made was 52.”
When the parish built a new church next door and demolished the original structure in the early 2000s, contractors removed the bell and moved it to a shed on parish property. The Catholic community hoped to restore it at some point, though plans didn’t crystallize until the death of parishioner Dennis Fitzpatrick two years ago. Dennis, a longtime pharmacist, enjoyed landscaping and maintaining the property alongside his wife, Alice. When friends asked Alice how they might honor Dennis’s memory, she mentioned his desire to bring the bell out of storage.
The estimated cost of restoration, transportation and mounting was about $27,000, Gary said. Friends and parishioners “very generously” donated money and several local contractors provided complimentary services, significantly reducing the estimated cost. Breuer Towing lifted the bell and Triple Seven Trucking hauled it to the original manufacturer in St. Louis. Back home, Doyle Syfert Masonry, Olson-Powell Chapel and Ideal Ready Mix collaborated to construct a mount.
Triple Seven Trucking returned the gleaming bell to Mount Pleasant last month and a group of parishioners watched as the bell took its place atop the new brick and cement mount. The parish plans to use leftover funds to create a memorial garden on the property, Gary said.
Though Dennis’s death and desire to restore the bell motivated the restoration, stewardship and teamwork made it possible, Gary said, adding that parishioners throughout the years have shared their time, talent and treasure to help the St. Alphonsus community thrive. A plaque mounted on the base recognizes the parish community as a whole. “A lot of people have done a lot of work at the church throughout the years.”
